You wouldn't know by the looks of it, but the Pine Ridge mobile home park gets loud enough to shake your innards, locals say.

Statistically, the ramshackle collection of trailer homes is the loudest place in Tallahassee.

The rundown community in the city's south end received far more noise and music complaints during the last two years than any other Tallahassee bar, restaurant, club or apartment complex, Tallahassee Police Department records show. Since January 2014, Friday was the neighborhood's noisiest day, followed by Saturday and Monday, statistics show.

TPD officers were called to the neighborhood for noise complaints a staggering 331 times in 2013 and 2014. During that same period, police responded 160 times to the West 10 student apartment complex, the next loudest property.

Smith said he's lived across the street from the park since 1985, but only in the last five years has noise become a problem. Parked cars with doors ajar blast deafening bass-thumping tunes.

"It’s the kind of music that goes right through the windows and rattles your window frames,” he said. “It’s not normal music. It’s worse than rock and roll."

Over the past year, he's made about a dozen complaints to police. Countless times he's chosen to bear the ruckus because his efforts are often fruitless, he said. The noisy neighbors will turn down the volume for police, then turn it up when they leave.

All Smith wants is for the music to be turned down. He and many others are in favor of a city-wide sound ordinance.

Tallahassee city commissioners postponed approving such an ordinance Oct. 28 after residents voiced displeasure over a proposal offered by city staff. That plan included lower sound thresholds for residential areas and louder levels for specified entertainment districts.

The issue will be brought to a committee of residents who will hash out differences and offer suggestions to commissioners before they vote on a final plan at their Dec. 9 meeting. The committee will hold the first of three meetings on Tuesday.

A sound ordinance likely would be enforced using a sound decibel meter. Leroy Peck, president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations, says the city can find a balance, but residents should do their part.

"Even with an ordinance in place ... basic things like respect and common sense still need to be in play," he said. "There has to be an overall sense of civility."

Pine Ridge is pinched in the bend where South Adams Street becomes Crawfordville Road. Homes appear in such disrepair its hard to differentiate occupied houses from abandoned structures. Stray cats eat out of trash piles on the side of the road, steering clear of roaming chickens circling a pair of rusted basketball hoops.

It's dirty and downtrodden, but in the middle of a Tuesday, it's quiet. Diane Johnson, who retired in June after 34 years working for the Leon County School Board, soaks up the serenity while she can. At night, people speed down the road, blaring music from their cars.

“When they come into the park, you can hear the music, the loudness," she said.

Johnson sent her dog to live with her daughter because the maddening din terrified the pup.

Johnson has complained, but said the noisemakers would leave by the time police arrived. A few years ago, Johnson herself was the subject of a complaint. She and a group of Leon County Schools educators having after-work drinks were greeted by police after a neighbor harped about her music.

Rosemary Pina lives down the street from Johnson with her two children and puts up with loud sounds at 2 and 3 a.m. She said neighbors on the eastern end of the mobile home park tear down the street, get in fights and play music so loud she can feel the vibration inside her trailer.

"It wakes me up and it distracts me," she said.

She called in a complaint about a year ago when a Ford Mustang sped in reverse down Americana Street, music blasting.

Other residents however report no problems with sound in the neighborhood. Fred Johnson has lived there for nearly 30 years and only notices partying on Florida A&M University homecoming weekend and the occasional dirt bike.

Things may be quieting down. So far this year, only 18 complaints have come from the trailer park.

But Johnson said she just finally stopped calling the police. She keeps a low profile now. Her house has been burglarized. She fears retaliation.

"I just try to stay away," she said. "I know it's wrong. I know I need to complain, but I'm here by myself and I don't want to complain."

City commissioners have stressed the need to get some type of noise regulation on the books as soon as possible so law enforcement can address sound gripes between residents.

Recent court decisions struck down state noise statutes. They found local laws were inadequate to address excessive sound.

Meanwhile, complaints continue to pile up. TPD responded to nearly 6,000 noise complaints each of the last two years.

A city sound ordinance likely would be enforced using a sound decibel meter. The city of Tallahassee does not own one of the devices, which are expected to cost at least $1,000 each. TPD is waiting for commission action on a sound plan before the department commits to the type of meter and how many should be purchased.

Without a noise ordinance, TPD officers can only ask someone to quiet down, said Officer David Northway. Most of the time, the noise maker complies.

"Barring any other violations of Florida law," Northway said, "they simply ask them to turn down the noise."

The West 10 apartments on West Tennessee Street received more noise complaints the last two years than any other apartment complex in Tallahassee.(Photo: D.A. Robin/Democrat)

The second noisiest area

Besides Pine Ridge, the city's noisiest areas are mostly apartment complexes housing college students. Of those, the West 10 apartment development on West Tennessee Street tops the list, followed by Seminole Grand on West Tharpe Street and Villa Del Lago on West Pensacola Street.

West 10, located off campus, includes a pool, sand volleyball court and game room. It's as manicured as Pine Ridge is dilapidated. Residents are greeted by perfect green grass and palm trees neatly bordered with red mulch. Late on a Thursday evening, cars scurry in and out in a steady stream.

West 10 received 94 complaints in 2013 and 66 in 2014. The complex has been the subject of 28 noise calls so far this year.

Recess Day and Nightclub on Woodward Avenue received the most noise complaints (27) than any other Tallahassee bar or restaurant in 2014. AJ Sports Bar on West Tennessee Street received 26 complaints.(Photo: Lily Henkel/FSView)

The loudest bar

Recess, the rooftop pool bar in College Town, received more noise complaints than any other bar and restaurant in 2014. Recess had 27 complaints, followed by AJ Sports Bar on West Tennessee Street (26) and The Moon (13).